I try to win games for my team irrespective of the format: Taide

The Vidarbha batter led the side to the knockout rounds of Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy and has been retained in the Punjab Kings squad for IPL 2024

is to play cricket at the highest level, and that is what I am doing when I am playing First Class cricket. I want to go out there and express myself,” said Taide.

A turnaround

This was the same confidence that allowed Taide to script a turnaround after scores of zero and four in his first two outings with Punjab Kings in 2023. The lefthander moved to the No. 3 spot and got 182 runs from five innings at a strike rate nearing 150.

There was a minor blip in the comeback arc, though. With Punjab chasing 214 against Delhi Capitals for a final push for the Playoffs, Taide’s 42ball 55 was not quite cutting it.

With 86 runs needed off 30 deliveries, he became only the second batter in tournament to be ‘retired out’. If the ignominy was not enough in itself, questions over not retiring him sooner in the innings rubbed salt in his wound.

“IPL is a platform where you cannot hide anything. If you are even slightly unfit mentally, physically, emotionally, or skillwise, it shows. So you have to be 100% in all these departments and tick all these boxes to get the best out of yourself,” said Taide.

Despite the unceremonious stat to his account, the importance of the seven games was not lost on Taide.

“Every platform you play in, be it the IPL or the Ranji Trophy, you get confidence that you are one step closer to your dream. Since I started playing, the goal has been to play for India. When I play with the best players in the world, it gives me confidence that I belong there. And yes, the IPL also helped make me believe that I’m heading in the right direction,” said Taide.

Taide’s career grew in leaps and bounds in 2023. If it commenced with the IPL debut, it turned another corner when he took over the reins of Vidarbha’s whiteball teams. The news was not surprising, given he marshalled Vidarbha to its maiden Cooch Behar Trophy in 2018. He led the side to the knockout rounds of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His retention in the Kings squad for the upcoming season bookended his year.

While it might be prudent to start setting the benchmark even higher, IndiaA in Taide’s case, he is quick in admitting that is some distance away.

“Going too far ahead of myself will be the biggest mistake I can make right now. What I have in my hand is to perform in every game that I play. I try to win games